Pope censures key department over London real estate deal

[November 05, 2020]    VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis, in an unprecedented move to contain the damage from a London real estate deal, has stripped the Vatican's Secretariat of State's control over its own funds and put them under the supervision of Holy See economic offices.

Pope Francis attends the weekly general audience in Aula Paolo VI at the Vatican, October 28, 2020. Vatican Media/?Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

The pope's decision, announced in a statement and a papal letter on Thursday, comes after Francis in September fired the cardinal involved the Secretariat's purchase of a luxury building in London as an investment.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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